Shaq in on J. Lo buzz

LOS ANGELES — When news of showbiz celebrity Jennifer Lopez’ Saturday marriage to former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres’ estranged husband Marc Anthony spread, Los Angeles Lakers center Shaquille O’Neal was in on the buzz thanks to his wife Shaunie.

J. Lo and Marc were married before some 50 guests in a hush-hush ceremony in her Beverly Hills backyard the day before the Lakers lost to Detroit in the National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals at the Staples Center.

Torres, who has starred in several Filipino movies and was once romantically linked to a Filipino actor, filed for divorce last Jan. 20. She has two children with the Latin singer. But it was only five days before Saturday’s wedding that Anthony got the divorce papers in the Dominican Republic. The rumor is J. Lo pressured Anthony to produce the papers for the wedding to push through.

J. Lo, 34, was previously married to waiter Ojani Noa and backup dancer Cris Judd. She had well-publicized affairs with rapper Puffy Combs and actor Ben Affleck.

It was Shaunie who broke the news of J. Lo’s latest foray to O’Neal on the day of the Lakers’ loss. "He’s always very serious on game days," said Shaunie, quoted by the Los Angeles Times. "When I told him that she got married, he said, ‘No, she didn’t.’ And I said, ‘Yes, she did.’ We went back and forth for a while but otherwise, there was no kidding around at our house."

O’Neal, his wife and five children live in an Orlando mansion during the offseason.

In his 12th year as a pro, O’Neal appears to be mellowing. He has set a timetable for retirement in 2008 to enjoy his family.

"I got five kids, got a wife, got a family," he said. "They need attention. I’ve had my fun. I did it all. Now I gotta make sure they’re happy first before I think about me. It’s OK to worry about yourself sometimes but little kids don’t know. So you better take care of them, better take care of your wife."

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Lakers forward Karl Malone was disconsolate in the locker room after the Lakers lost last Sunday. He blamed himself for letting his teammates down. Malone scored only four points on 2-of-9 from the floor and never went to the line in 44 minutes. Worse, his man — Rasheed Wallace — got away with 14 points and eight rebounds in 29 minutes.

"I didn’t help us out at all," said Malone, his head bowed, as he was interviewed in his dressing room cubicle without a shirt. "I’m very disappointed in me. That’s unacceptable as a professional athlete. I had open looks and didn’t make those and that got us out of rhythm as a team. I have to bring more out on the defensive end. Four points is terrible. My little boy can do that."

In 190 career playoff games, Malone has scored double figures in 183. Of the seven where he failed to tally twin digits, six came this year. That only means one thing–the 40-year-old Malone is finally showing his age.

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Pistons coach Larry Brown used a platoon of defenders to slow down O’Neal and Kobe Bryant last Sunday. O’Neal was alternately shadowed by Ben Wallace, Elden Campbell, Memo Okur, Rasheed Wallace and Corliss Williamson. The idea was to throw a fresh defender at O’Neal without resorting to doubling, unless absolutely necessary, for the purpose of wearing out the Big Aristotle. It was a bait for O’Neal to score himself out like a boxer punching himself out.

It was the same defensive theory that Brown applied in tracking down Bryant. Tayshaun Prince was Bryant’s predominant defender but Rip Hamilton, Lindsey Hunter and Darvin Ham had turns, too. Brown figured with all the chasing Bryant had to do to keep pace with Hamilton on defense, the wunderkind would eventually sputter and settle for jumpers instead of driving to the hoop which takes a lot more energy.

O’Neal and Bryant got their numbers in the end but because the Pistons stayed close to the other Lakers on the floor, the two superstars didn’t get the firepower support to match Detroit’s offense. O’Neal and Bryant often deviated from the Lakers’ triangle and tried to go one-on-one, biting into Brown’s bait–hook, line and sinker. That took away from the Lakers’ fluidity and cramped the supporting cast’s style.

Prince, whose 72-inch wingspan is a marvel, made it tough for Bryant to score. When the smoke cleared, Bryant netted 25 points but was a poor 10-of-27 from the floor.

"He’s very long," said Bryant, referring to Prince. "He knows how to use his length. It’s a big challenge but I think we’re up for it."